Ridgefield officials and project partners broke ground Monday, June 1, on the Eastside Elevated Water Reservoir, a major infrastructure project officials say will help meet the city’s growing water needs.
The project will add a 2.5 million-gallon elevated water storage tank on a 5.3-acre city-owned site along South Fifth Street. It will be the first elevated water storage facility for Ridgefield’s east side, intended to improve emergency response and support new development.
Construction is set to start this month, with a scheduled opening in June 2028. Funding is provided by a $15 million low-interest loan from the Washington Department of Health’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, along with water system development charges collected from new construction permits.
During the ceremony, Mayor Matt Cole said the project may not draw the same attention as other city investments, but its impact will be significant.
“This is… arguably one of the most important infrastructure projects you’ll see here in Ridgefield over the next decade,” Cole said.
The reservoir will serve existing residents and future development. City projections estimate Ridgefield will add about 10,000 residents and more than 8,000 jobs by 2045 as part of long-term planning.
“You can’t grow a city on the existing systems alone,” Cole said. “And before we got to a point where we really needed it, thanks to our project team and our staff for having the foresight to see that this is necessary, and it’s why this project is integral to our growth plans.”
City officials say the new reservoir will help stabilize water service for high-pressure zones, including the Junction area and the industrial employment district. The project expands storage capacity and system redundancy, building on water conservation measures adopted in 2025.
City leaders expect the reservoir to become a recognizable landmark. Plans include a mural with large “RIDGEFIELD” lettering and the city’s sandhill crane silhouette on the tower.
“This is also placemaking … creating a sense of belonging here, and the way we’re going to do this here is to make sure that our big gold letters against the blue sky, and our sandhill crane that’s prominent in our logo, are displayed proudly so that when you drive into Ridgefield… you know exactly where you’re at because you’re going to see that from a ways away,” Cole said.
Clark-Cowlitz Fire & Rescue demolished an existing structure on the site during a training exercise in February.
